Machine for the manufacture of metallic balls



H. S. ALBREGHT;

MACHINE FOR IHE MANUFACTURE OF METALLIC'BALLS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9. i921.

1,438,206. Patented Dec.12,1922. F191- Patented Dec. 12, 1922. c U ire-(fr re j HERMAN sALBnnoHn-ors'r. LOUIS,-MISSOURL I MAoirInn FOR THE Manure-crane or METALLIC BALLS.

' Application filed May 9,. 192 1 Serial No. 468,079.

T0 alliuhomit may concern: I

Be it known that I, -HERMAN S. An-

BREOHT, a citizen of the United States residing at, the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have inventeda new and useful Improvement .in .Machmes for the Manu fact u re' 'of Metallic of which the following is a specificat on.

This invention relates to improvements in .im achines for the manufacture, of me-.

tallic balls, and consists in the novel construction hereinafter dlsclosed.

.An object of the invention isto provide a machine for. forming from irregularly shaped slugsofmetal smooth balls ofsuh- Fig.- 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the" top of the mandrel.

Fig. at is a fragmentary sectional vlew of a portion of the mandrel and presser element, illustrating particularly the form of groove in the mandrel. i

In the embodiment of the invention lllustrated in the drawing the machine is shown as comprising a frame 1 of any sultable design. A vertical shaft 2 is supported for rotation in the frame and is driven by a beveled gear and pinion construction 3 and 4. The pinion 4: is driven from a plower shaft 5 supplied with a power pulley 6 The shaft 2 carries the mandrel 7 which is preferably in theform of a cone. The surface of the mandrel 7 is provided with any desired number of spiral groovesS deballs produced bythe machine.

Cooperating with the mandrel :7 -is substantially half the exactdiameterof the a I gravity actuated presser-memberQ thatTfits' over the mandrel and is capable-of rotary and axial movement s when themachine: is

. in operation, said presser member 9 having x side Walls conforming generally to the shape of the mandrel. Atthe upper portion of the presser member there is .asubstantially cylindrical axialj'exte'nsion 10 that fits within a bearingQll in the frame. As shown the relationship of the extension":

10 and the bearingll in whichitvisrmounted'is such asto permit both vertical and'ropresser .9 when the tary (movements of the machine is n 0176111131011. 1

A hopper 12 is supported above the upper opening of the extension 10 and is designed to contain a quantity of irregularly shaped slugs that feed from the hopper through the extension 10 and onto the mandrel, the slugs being received in the grooves in the mandrel and being rolled between the mandrel and the inner surface of the presser 7 member 9.

The slugs are. preferably heated to a degree so that they will be yieldable to the pressure exerted by the presser member against the face of the mandrel, the slugs following the course of the grooves and being gradually formed into spherical bodies conforming substantially to the diameter of the grooves.

Supported below the presser and mandrel is a receiving pan 1?) tilted slightly in one direction so that the spherical bodies, as

they pass from the space at the base of the mandrel and the base of the presser memher, will be discharged upon the an 13 moving therefrom by gravity throug a discharge chute 14.

I claim:

1. A machine of the character described for rolling metallic balls, comprising a conically shaped mandrel having, spiral grooves formed in the surface thereof, means for rotating the mandrel, a movable gravity actuated presser element disposed over the mandrel and exerting pressure on bodies received in the grooves of the mandrel, and a bearing guiding the presser element in its movements.

. 2. A machine of the character described, comprising a rotary mandrel having a spiral groove formed therein, mechanism for rotating said mandrel, a-presser member enclosing the mandrel, a passage for delivery of irregularly shaped bodies between the mandrel and presser, and a support in which said presser element is mounted for rotary and'axial movements when the machine is in operation.

3. A machine of the character described-,-

comprising a rotary mandrel of conical formihaving p ty Of g'rooves formea therein, mechanism for rotating th'emarrdrel,%:-a presser' member extending over 'the mandrel and spaced therefrom, a" support 1n=- which the presser 1 member is mounted for axial-- movements when the machine 1s 1h operation; a passage" for delivering ir spacebetween th'e same? ltezAf machine of the character described; comprisln'g 'amandrel having lIlCllIlGQl walls with spiral grooves formed therein; a member separately supported and actuated bygravity towardthe mandrelythere being a space between sai'd member and th e niandrel, means for revolving the mandrel, a hopper for; feedingwmaterial into the space between the mandrel and said member near the apexthereof; =a'1'1dia p;:h provided. with a discharge chute at the bottom of the mandrel; for receiving? the objects discharged from the space between the mandreland said member.

5. In" a machine of the l racter describedj am ndrel havingfinclinedfivalls witli channels termed thereir'fisaid graduaflly deereasingri in; ores fromthe top o'f thefnia a piesser elemeht having ting over the nrandrela therefrom; a' -fiarn eyaj su for revolubi-yF sup 5 means in the frame fe presser' for rotary" and HERMAN? s; AnBREeir-n c ined wallsifi ei s' pa g the inafidrelg fl uppbrtiirg 2 said axial movements when the is my o era and mechanism whereby; saidmend-fer is re 

